Pondering Ephesians 2:11-18

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than 8% of the time! Of 3530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace. Moreover, in excess of 8000 peace treaties were made & broken. During this period there were 14,351 wars, large & small, in which 3.64 billion people were killed. The world needs peace among the nations.

Millions and millions of people suffer with depression, anxiety, and worry. Millions and millions of dollars are spent each year trying to find a medical fix to the problem. People need peace in their inner being.

Every person who has ever been born since the Fall has been at war with God and has tried to solve this problem through either a personal or institutional religion. People need peace with God.

Enter Jesus. The Prince of Peace. Jehovah-Shalom. The Scripture says here in 2:14 that “He himself is our peace.” True peace will not be found anywhere else but in Christ. He is The Peacemaker.

There is a word that is used in this passage that is one of my favorite words in the New Testament. Reconcile. It has to do with conflict resolution; with settling differences; with restoring relationships. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we might be reconciled to God. We were reconciled to God at the cross. No cross, no reconciliation. This is what makes our faith unique. This is why Christianity is not just another religion. It is based on the relationship between God and man and God’s unceasing willingness to bridge the great divide that was caused by sin. The relationship was broken but the relationship can be restored. Reconciliation! The Cross! The Prince of Peace! Jesus!